Examining Effects of Active Plant Engagement on College Student Well-Being and Performance

Colorado State University (CSU)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Study Habits; Extrinsic Goal Orientation; Sleep Quality; Mood; Intrinsic Goal Orientation; State Anxiety; Perceived Stress; Connectedness to Nature

Treatments: Behavioral: Active Plant Engagement

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07228013

7068

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this feasibility study is to determine if active engagement with plants (e.g. care, maintenance) improves mental health and academic performance in college students. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does active engagement with plants result in improvements in academic motivation and study habits?
2. Does active engagement with plants result in reductions in stress and improvements in mood?

Researchers will compare two interventions groups (campus plant engagement group and home plant engagement group) to the comparison group (no plant engagement or passive exposure) to clarify the practical and potential benefits of active plant care for college students.

Participants will:

• Complete four surveys over the course of a 16-week semester
• Water, prune and check the soil of their assigned plants

Enrollment: 87 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Enrolled in in-person HES courses during the study semester
• Not currently growing/caring for plants
• Willing to comply with assigned intervention
• Able to complete surveys in English
• Available for 16-week duration

Exclusion criteria

• Current enrollment in other intervention studies targeting mental health/academic performance
• Severe plant allergies (e.g. to pollen, mold) regardless of the use of non-toxic and non-pollen plants

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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87 participants in 3 patient groups

G1 (Comparison)

No Intervention group

G2 (Campus Plant Care)

Experimental group

Description:

Active care for 1-2 plants in shared academic spaces (e.g. classrooms, hallways)

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Plant Engagement

G3 (Home Plant Care)

Experimental group

Description:

Active care for 1-2 plants in personal living spaces (dorm/apartment)

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Plant Engagement